1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fluid proportioning systems, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for apportioning gas usage by a gas fueled apparatus among several individually metered gas supplies.
2. Description of the Prior and/or Contemporaneous Art
Many multiunit dwellings employ a single heating system which supplies heat to each dwelling unit. This is especially the case in large single family dwellings which have been converted to multifamily dwellings. Heretofore, in most cases, the landlord must underwrite the cost of heating each of the units since the heating units are usually supplied from a single fuel supply, the cost of which is billed directly to the landlord. This results in a situation where the landlord's expenses are disproportionately high in the months that heat is needed. Additionally, since tenants customarily pay a flat amount of rent regardless of the amount of heat used, they do not have an interest in conserving heat and, in many instances, this leads to excessive heat consumption.
One method of limiting the expense to the landlord is by installation of a locked thermostat so that tenants cannot cause a furnace to supply an unreasonable amount of heat. Unfortunately, this does not do anything to reallocate the cost of heating to each individual tenant. Another more radical approach is to install individual heating units or furnaces in each dwelling unit. While this solves the problem, the cost in many instances is prohibitive. Additionally, because of the inherent heat losses through furnace chimneys and combustion chambers, a plurality of furnaces having the same heating capacity as one large furnace will have greater heat losses and therefore will be less efficient.
In many of these multiunit dwellings, each individual tenant has a metered supply of gas provided to the gas range and other similar appliances disposed in the dwelling unit. However, these are entirely isolated from the metered supply of gas which is supplied to the common heating furnace. The present invention provides an apparatus and method for equitably apportioning the fuel needed to supply a common furnace among a plurality of metered fuel supplies, each which is billed individually to the tenants of a multiunit dwelling.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,892,775 and 1,892,776, both issued to Mix et al. on Jan. 3, 1933, each teach fluid control apparatuses wherein a plurality of tenants' metered gas lines are employed to run a laundry stove. This apparatus permits selective individual channeling of the tenants' metered gas to the stove for use at any particular time by a single tenant. No means are shown or suggested for the joint use of the laundry stove by all the tenants through simultaneous supply of gas from each tenant's metered gas line. The Mix patents are the sole references uncovered which seek to equitably attribute gas usage to the tenant deriving benefit from such usage.
Other fluid and fuel mixing and proportioning apparatuses are known in the art for application for diverse purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 3,280,841 issued to Deutsch on Oct. 25, 1966 discloses a fluid mixing and proportioning apparatus wherein two fluid inputs are fed through separate valve and pressure meter arrangements. These two arrangements are manifolded together to provide a single output.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,392 issued to Davidson et al. on July 18, 1967 teaches a gasoline supply manifold wherein a plurality of gasoline lines are individually hooked to a manifold by a plurality of discrete valves, the output of the manifold being supplied to a gasoline engine.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,752 issued to Iozzi et al. on July 16, 1968 shows a device for mixing a plurality of gases wherein the relative proportion of the gases can be adjusted. Individual gas lines are fed through rate of flow gauges to a manifold housing by a plurality of regulating valves. After the gas flows through the regulating valves, it is mixed into a single flow. This invention finds use in mixing gases from welding and in medical applications, such applications being nonanalogous to the purpose and use of the present invention. Additionally, no means are shown or suggested to isolate the various gas supplies from each other when the gas is not being used. While this is not necessary in a device such as taught by Iozzi, it is necessary in an application where the individual gas lines are used for purposes other than to supply a manifold and the apparatus connected thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,296 issued to Berger on July 18, 1972 shows a fluid proprtioning system wherein gas is supplied through two fluid regulators having input gauges, then to a pair of independent flow meters, and then to a pair of independent valves. The gas is then channeled through a manifold to a single output. No means are shown or suggested to avoid interaction between the two gas supplies.
Even considering the diverse and mostly nonanalogous art discussed above, no fluid proportioning system for use with a fluid fueled apparatus and a plurality of discrete fluid supplies wherein the discrete fluid supplies are isolated from each other so that they may be used to fuel other apparatuses in addition to the common fluid fueled apparatus is shown or suggested.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings presently manifested in supplying a plurality of dwelling units from a single fluid fueled apparatus by providing a fluid proportioning system which apportions fuel usage among a plurality of metered fluid fuel supplies, the fluid fuel supplies being isolated from each other when the fluid fueled apparatus is not in use.